A Study On The Spy In Song Dynasty

The struggle between the Central Plains Dynasty represented by Song Dynasty and the prairie nation represented by Liao, Xia, Jin and Meng (Yuan) has lasted for more than three hundred years. It is a lasting and intense contest between farming and nomadic lifestyle, also an endless confrontation between two kinds of combat forms: infantry and cavalry. The political intrigues, military fighting and the diplomatic thrust constitute a grand and magnificent picture for the times of vigor and vitality, misfortune and suffering. However, when we cast the concerning eyes on the magnificent epic struggle, when we are grieved in the material civilization of Central Plains Dynasty which is without any advantage in front of the strong physique and arms, we often ignore another fierce war in the darkness-the spy battle. It is the political and military weakness of Song Dynasty that causes the spies of Song Dynasty to make great achievements in the hidden battlefield. These unknown heroes on the hidden front live on the edge of life and death by the extraordinary wisdom and courage. Furthermore, they are all-pervasive, go all lengths to accomplish their purposes. Meanwhile, they have done lots of shocking things in the unknown corners, and they support the rule of Song Dynasty quietly using stealing secrets, subversion, damage and counterespionage.Song Dynasty was not only a last historical stage which the development of Chinese ancient spy tends to maturity, but also a linking transitional historical period of creating its peak times.In this period there were particular spy institutes from the central to the local, which undertook searching for the information and counter-espionage reconnaissance. The royal government advocated largely using the spies, and there had had many excellent masters who were good at using spies since the first emperor of Song Dynasty. Furthermore, the civilian officials'talking about the spies was very prevalent. And it tended to one of the criteria for the officers'promotion whether they were competent to use spies. The border spy organization of Song Dynasty had strict requirements for the spy's recruitment, and it had a definite restriction from the number to the scope and standard of the spy. Furthermore, the spies would accept various tasks according to the different conditions. Since the spy's frequent information activity of Song Dynasty would bring about a lot of real or false information, the duty of the border officers should be good at distinguishing the genuine and fake information from the known ones besides gained them by use of spies to avoid the unnecessary troubles. So the royal government gave a rich reward to the active spy for the danger of the spy's information activity; at the same time, the royal government formulated the strict penalty schedules for the need of security.It was an important thing that how to guarantee the quickness and accurateness of information's delivery. In Song Dynasty there were other ways of delivery besides the common beacon-fires and postal relay stations, and the appearance of"code"had the most influential for it symbolized a new level of the development of China's ancient spy's activity.While the royal government dispatched the spies to get the information of the other side, the foreign spies maybe ambushed at somewhere waiting for an opportunity to steal its information. To avoid the information revelation and fight against the spy's activity abroad, the royal government had taken the preventive measures at every aspect which involved the leak possibly. Moreover, this so careful action was not the timid performance, but the royal government's sober understanding of the importance of counter-espionage.The spy theory of Song Dynasty had a large improvement on the basis of quantities of spy's practical activities. It mainly manifested that the approval of the state to the spy's activity in Song Dynasty and the birth of a plenty of military books. Also the rich theories provided evidences for the right and effective practical activities. Meanwhile, the influence of the spy's information activity was not only on the military but also on the every aspect of society.